


Five Elements

by EllieBiel



Series: Stages of Love (Wolfram and Yuuri) [3]
Category: Kyou Kara Maou!
Genre: M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22186012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieBiel/pseuds/EllieBiel
Summary: Response to LJ community stagesoflove "five elements" challenge.
Relationships: Wolfram von Bielefeld/Shibuya Yuuri
Series: Stages of Love (Wolfram and Yuuri) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592146
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	1. Will O' The Wisp

**Author's Note:**

> Element #1: Air

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri Shibuya had stolen a number of bases, and he knew when he needed to put on a burst of speed. He pumped his arms, leaning forward as if that might help lend wings to his feet and help him escape the wrath of one very disgruntled Wolfram von Bielefeld.

He'd nearly gotten away with it this time, too.

He didn't know how Wolfram always seemed to find him. It wasn't as if he were bugged, such technology not existing in Shin Makoku (and although he wouldn't put anything past Anissina, he doubted he would have gotten this far if Wolfram were armed with any such maryoku-powered device), but for someone who could sleep through a marching band of shrieking monkeys during a hurricane and an earthquake, Wolfram seemed to have no problem waking up at the most inopportune moments.

He had just a little further, and then he'd be home free - or he would have been if someone hadn't put a wall in his path.

"No!" he shouted in frustration, whipping around in time to see Wolfram barreling toward him.

They landed in a tangle of limbs. All the air was knocked from Yuuri's lungs and he blinked up at green eyes blazing into his.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wolfram panted.

"Nowhere, now," Yuuri grumbled. "And your sword is digging into my hip."

"Wimp," Wolfram scoffed, and he made no move to shift his position. If anything, Yuuri would swear he was leaning on him _more_ heavily. "It is my duty to-"

"Protect me. Make sure I'm not cheating. Keep me safe from myself and from all the single citizens of the kingdom."

"I don't trust you around the married ones, either."

"Fine. You caught me. Mind getting off me now?"

Wolfram looked like he very much minded, but he rolled to his side, leaving his arm draped lazily over Yuuri's stomach. "You shouldn't be wandering around alone. Knowing you, you'd probably get kidnapped and worry that they weren't dressed warmly enough."

"It's the middle of the summer," Yuuri said tiredly. "And I just want to be able to go out and enjoy myself before Günter drags me back into the library and makes me study." He adopted his best puppy dog expression. "You know what it's like, being stuck inside studying when you should be outside practicing your swordsmanship."

If he thought it was going to sway Wolfram he was dead wrong, because Wolfram was in his face again, nose to nose with Yuuri. "How do you know that? Did Konrart tell you that?"

"Because I was th-" Yuuri swallowed.

Wolfram's weight was gone and he slowly stood up, holding out a hand to help Yuuri to his feet. His breathing was heavy, Yuuri noted, and he was visibly upset.

"I don't remember," he said. "You were there and I don't remember you."

"I don't know if I was _really_ there," Yuuri said, feeling more miserable now than he had when he realized his hopes of sneaking out of the castle had been dashed. "I mean, it was like I was a ghost, only I wasn't all the time, and then Julia brought me..."

Wolfram was walking away now, his shoulders straight and back erect, and yet looking less prideful than Yuuri had ever seen. Yuuri had to jog to catch up with him.

"Wolfram," he said, placing a hand consolingly on his shoulder.

Wolfram stopped in his tracks and grabbed Yuuri's wrist. "At least I'll know you're not going anywhere," he said. "Come to bed where I can protect you. It _is_ my duty after all."

Yuuri was tempted to brush Wolfram's hair out of his eyes, but he kept his hand at his side. The hall was cool, but the air between them was warm, and then the warmth was gone as Wolfram resumed his strident pace, dragging Yuuri along with him.

He shouldn't have noticed, but Wolfram didn't call him "wimp" the rest of the night.


	2. Quake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Element #2: Earth

Yuuri swallowed nervously and took a few steps back when Gwendal crouched, just in time to put distance between them before the ground rumbled and rose up like a tidal wave. He knew that Gwendal had control over his element, but it was unnerving to find himself underneath twin walls of dirt. He shuddered. The worst possible way to die had to be getting buried alive.

Morgif hooted at his side and Yuuri drew his sword. "OK, I got it." He was holding it like a baseball bat again, and he glanced at Konrad, who gave him a smile of encouragement. Yuuri shifted his grip just in time to bring the sword up, clashing with the cloaked attacker's weapon. He only had to hold him off a short time because two serpents coiled around the man's legs, immobilizing him as Yuuri backed away. He winced when he realized the snakes were made of the earth that Gwendal had manipulated, and then Konrad was barking at him to get away, to safety.

"No!" he protested, and then someone grabbed his jacket and hoisted him off the ground.

He knew who it was just from the color of the horse's legs before he scrambled to seat himself on the saddle behind his rescuer. He grabbed Wolfram's shoulders in protest. "Wolfram! We have to help them!"

Wolfram ignored his protests and leaned forward, urging his horse to move faster. The thudding of hooves drowned out Yuuri's shouts, and he watched the ground race past them for a full minute before deciding there was no way he could jump off without breaking something.

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief as he heard more horses approaching, and he sagged against Wolfram as he recognized Konrad's "heika!" He smiled and waved as Konrad drew up alongside Wolfram's horse and determinedly ignored the elbow he got in his ribs for the effort. He'd nearly forgotten that he was angry with Wolfram until they'd reached the castle and dismounted. Wolfram didn't look pleased, but there was no reason why _he_ should be put out. He knew very well how much Yuuri hated watching others risk their lives while he was whisked away to safety. 

Well, Wolfram wasn't the only one who could be stubborn. "I told you I wanted to stay."

"I don't care what you want. It's my duty to keep you safe."

Yuuri's eyebrows twitched and he leveled a gaze at Wolfram that stated he was not in the mood right now. He'd watched Gwendal rearrange the landscaping and he could still feel the ache in his chest. He'd trusted Gwendal completely, but it hadn't helped make him any less anxious. He was glad everyone was back safely, but he would not let them go back out tomorrow without him.

"Next time I tell you, Wolfram," Yuuri said, "It'll be an order."

Yuuri recognized that ramrod straight posture. Wolfram was not going to concede easily.

"I will only follow my king's orders when I am convinced he is of sound mind. If you want to be the leader of your people and hear their voices, you should remember that I'm one of those people, too."

Yuuri could practically see flames burning in Wolfram's eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Yozak wink at him. Wolfram must have seen him, too, and he grabbed Yuuri by the ear and pulled, making him scramble to keep up. 

"I'm also your fiancé, and I see the way you look at him. You only want to go back out tomorrow because he'll be there, too. I can't trust you for a minute!"

The last thing Yuuri saw was Yozak, dressed in pink lace and garters, waving his arm back and forth and looking not at all sorry for the trouble he'd caused. At least Wolfram had let him go to the bath alone, but not without a warning that if he found out Yozak was in there with him again, he'd be sorry.

There was no one else in the bath at this time, and Yuuri rubbed at his abused ear. It had been a while since Wolfram had attacked that particular part of his body. In fact, it had been a while since Wolfram had reacted like a jealous lover. Yuuri slid down the side of the tub until his chin touched the water, then blew across the surface, watching it ripple.

And to think he'd almost convinced himself that he'd missed it.


	3. Dance of the Flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Element #3: Fire

All it had taken was Wolfram's jealousy running roughshod over his petulance, and things had gone back to normal - not that Yuuri thought _normal_ described anything about the person he'd be sharing his bed with later that night.

He really, _really_ wanted to lock and bar the door, and then maybe find another room to sleep in, but Wolfram had this uncanny knack for tracking him down when Yuuri most wanted to be alone, and tonight was one of those times. The worst part was that it wasn't because Yuuri wanted, for one night at least, to be able to sleep without getting assaulted or kicked out of his own bed. It wasn't because he wanted to remind Wolfram that this whole betrothed situation wasn't real or because he hoped against hope that his accidental fiancé would get the hint that he'd been stubbornly ignoring every night.

It was because today they'd been in mazoku, not human territory, and it was the first time that he'd seen Wolfram engage in combat using something other than his sword. It was the first time he'd seen Wolfram summon the elements of fire - not in an ill-tempered fight against Yuuri or as part of a duel involving the most bizarre of triangles (Yuuri still had nightmares about using silverware in Shin Makoku), but as the proud warrior that Yuuri often forgot Wolfram was.

There was no other way to describe it. It had been magnificent.

Yuuri had seen Wolfram's flame take the form of a menacing lion. He'd seen the way the fire danced at the blond's command, and today should had been no different - only it was. The dance had been hypnotic, seductive even. Despite the raging inferno all around Wolfram (and therefore not far from where Yuuri had been standing), Yuuri had felt a shiver run down his spine.

When he'd first met Lady Celi's sons, he'd thought they were as different as any men could be, but today he'd seen the flames obey Wolfram in a way that rivaled Konrad's command of his sword, and it had left him speechless.

He approached his bedroom and his hand hesitated before touching the knob. He knew that Wolfram would already be in bed, dressed in yet another ridiculous pink nightgown. In his mind's eye, the lace trim flickered along Wolfram's collarbone like a flame. There was still time to turn around and leave; Wolfram was most likely already asleep. Yuuri was still feeling a bit grimy from the battle earlier, so no one could fault him for taking a bath before bed. 

He licked his lips nervously and opened the door.


	4. A Real Shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Element #4: Water

Wolfram had been sleeping, but not deeply enough that he didn't hear the door open and Yuuri come in. He'd been very pleased with himself earlier today, and it had been a sting to his pride that Yuuri had looked the opposite of impressed.

He'd looked shaken.

Yuuri never looked that way when he watched Konrart fight, using only his sword. It bothered Wolfram that without a trace of maryoku, his half-brother could gain the admiration that should be his. He was the one Yuuri had proposed to, and he was the one who loved Yuuri the most - even more than Günter.

He'd not let so much as a spark land on his fiancé's sleeve, but he might as well have been standing there doing nothing for all the reaction he got from Yuuri. Wolfram wanted to sit up right now and give Yuuri a piece of his mind, but he needed to wait until Yuuri gave him a reason to. Fortunately the wimp almost always did. At least in some things he could be counted on.

Yuuri hadn't even pulled on his pajama shirt when Wolfram sat up and glared at him.

"Why are you being so quiet?"

Yuuri looked alarmed. "I didn't want to wake you."

He was lying. Wolfram swung his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet. 

"Don't give me that. You're sneaking in because you don't want me to know how late you came to bed. Where have you been all this time?" Wolfram's eyes narrowed. _"Who_ have you been with?"

Yuuri swallowed. His tongue felt uncomfortably large in his mouth when he answered. "With Gwendal."

Wolfram was fuming. It was bad enough Konrart always had to play this baseball thing with Yuuri; now Gwendal, who couldn't resist anything small and cute, was spending time with him? If it had been only a debriefing, surely Wolfram would have been invited, too.

"And Günter."

Yuuri seemed to be shrinking away from him. Wolfram took a step forward, knowing what the next two words out of Yuuri's mouth were going to be even before he said them.

Actually the wimp only managed to squeak Konrart's name out. Since Wolfram's sword was too far away, he wrapped his fingers around the handle that was closest. It felt _good_ to turn the pitcher over and empty its contents on Yuuri's head.

Yuuri blinked at Wolfram in surprise, and Wolfram stared right back. Yuuri's skin practically glowed in the moonlight, each drop of water shimmering like a precious gem. They slid down his skin. Wolfram's gaze followed one droplet until it reached the tip of a hardened nipple. He stared at the single drop until it fell, and then realized that Yuuri was shivering. Was it cold in the room? It certainly didn't feel that way to Wolfram.

He grabbed Yuuri's arm. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

Wolfram decided for once to let his actions speak louder than words. Yuuri would find out soon enough, once they got to the bath. It was obvious that his fiancé could use a soak in some warm water. Wolfram would wash his back and Yuuri _would_ remember just who he was supposed to spend his nights with. The wimp better not use it as an opportunity to go back to earth, either, because Wolfram planned on having a firm grip on Yuuri the moment it looked like Ulrike was sending him back - no matter what part of Yuuri his fingers happened to be wrapped around.

They reached the bath, and Wolfram waited for Yuuri to drop his pants and slowly lower himself into the water. This time it was Wolfram who was shivering, but no matter. Once they returned to the bed chambers, there would be plenty of blankets to warm themselves in. He tossed his nightgown to the floor and slid into the water himself.

Of course if something were to happen to the blankets, for example, if they became unexpectedly wet, they surely couldn't inconvenience the maids at this hour to bring them new ones. Yuuri would never want to awaken them for such a selfish need. No, if something were to happen to their bedding, they'd only have one choice left to stay warm. Wolfram picked up the soap and lathered up his hands. There was no point using a cloth to bathe his fiancé now, not when they could very well be sharing body heat once they returned to bed.

It would be a shame if Yuuri's pajamas or his own nightgown somehow fell into the bath. He approached Yuuri, soapy fingers spread like cat claws and a rather determined look on his face.

A real shame.


	5. Like No One Else

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Element #5: Aether

He'd been avoiding Wolfram lately. That wasn't a particularly new thing, because anytime Yuuri could manage to go anywhere without being constantly reminded of the folly he'd committed when he'd first set foot in Shin Makoku was a time when he could almost forget he and Wolfram still hadn't settled things regarding this engagement business. While he didn't like to think the blame for the proposal was entirely his fault, the fact that Wolfram still believed they were going to be married - and he'd even gone as far as to tell Yuuri's mother - was no one's fault but his own. His mother had taken it surprisingly (and alarmingly) well, and now he had constant reminders of his "not available" status in two worlds.

It was hardly fair. He hadn't even had his first kiss, and in all the impractical scenes he'd played in his head, where he'd been incredibly suave (and a good kisser to boot), never had he imagined another guy being involved in it.

He should have been firmer with Wolfram about the whole accidental mess, but he'd been unable to be the one to break it off. He just couldn't do that to Wolfram. He'd been naively confident that Wolfram had no desire to marry him, not after the outrage he'd shown after the slap and the whole duel, but things had changed in the blink of an eye after that, and while he might have thought Wolfram's jealousy was due to pride at first, he'd had reason enough to doubt that lately.

He really wished he could be mad at Ulrike for her involvement in turning Wolfram into an affectionate child with an iron grip, but he couldn't. He'd tried brushing off Wolfram's declaration of love, telling himself that it wasn't really Wolfram talking, but if he compared Wolfram's reaction to Günter's, there was no question that Ulrike hadn't created anything that hadn't been there before.

It had been a thoroughly depressing realization, but not nearly as depressing as the direction his own thoughts had taken lately.

Wolfram had washed his back before, but never like he had last night. Yuuri had never felt so on edge before - torn between pulling away and incurring Wolfram's wrath, and relaxing against Wolfram's chest and getting it over with. The feel of Wolfram's fingers, strong and slick with soap, over his chest, had made him lurch forward, and he'd dunked himself completely underwater, remaining submerged until he'd swum to the far end of the bath where he could climb out, safely away from Wolfram's hands and the heat of his body.

He tugged at his collar. It seemed a lot warmer out here, and he wished he'd worn something other than black.

Every time he heard a branch snap or a bird fly overhead, he'd whirl around, expecting to face Wolfram looking none too pleased with him. Even the shadows had him jumping, and finally he and Ao reached the baseball field.

He patted his horse's neck and dismounted. No one was there, but he could see a pile of crude gloves and bats in a wagon. Here was something Yuuri could understand, and he ran down to the baseball diamond, spreading his arms wide and turning in a circle.

It made him feel better than he had all week.

Yuuri picked up one of the balls. The stitches were spread wide apart and were uneven, but the leather was otherwise smooth and unblemished. Another ball was lying in one of the gloves, and in contrast to the one he held, it looked nearly as good as any he'd ever used on earth.

Either two different people had sewn them, or the same person had gotten much better over time. He tossed the ball up in the air and caught it a few times. It felt _right_ , no matter what it looked like.

He tossed it up again, higher this time, and nearly lost sight of it with the sun in his eyes. His eyes watered as he stubbornly tried to find the tiny dot heading back to the ground, and by the time he caught it, everything looked like shadows and light. Yet he still saw the silhouette of Wolfram astride his horse even before he heard the soft nickering. Only Wolfram would actually ride right onto the baseball diamond when it wasn't a matter of life or death.

Of course in Wolfram's case, it probably was. Yuuri's life if he was alone and untouched, and his death if he'd done anything that suggested infidelity.

Wolfram's boots hit the ground at the same time and Yuuri blinked his eyes a few times in an attempt to alleviate the sudden dryness. "Hey," he said cheerfully. "I haven't seen you all day. Where have you been?"

It seemed to take Wolfram by surprise, but not enough that the wrinkles between his brow disappeared completely. If Yuuri didn't think of something fast, he was going to get an earful.

"Catch!"

The ball should have hit Wolfram in the head, but it smacked against his sword instead and fell harmlessly to the dirt. Yuuri stared down at it, at the uneven stitches that he saw used a mix of both red and blue thread. He'd not noticed it before.

Wolfram was already lecturing him, about going about unguarded and likely attempting some sort of assignation, but Yuuri was too busy studying the ball. He crouched down and picked it up, turning it one way or another. It was still a good ball, even if it didn't look like any of the ones he'd ever used. It was solid and could take a good hit, and probably most important of all, it had been made by someone here in Shin Makoku, just for him. It didn't matter that they'd started out with blue thread and stitched the red over it. They hadn't understood the game or the equipment, but they'd still managed to give Yuuri one of the best gifts ever.

He got to his feet.

"Here, Wolfram," he said, grasping his fiancé's wrist and placing the ball firmly in his hand. "I want you to have this."

"And what am I supposed to do with this?" Wolfram scoffed, but Yuuri noticed that he didn't toss it aside.

Yuuri shrugged.

"Stupid wimp." Surprisingly, or perhaps not, that was all Wolfram said.

Wolfram led his horse up the hill to where Ao was waiting, and although he was back in his saddle before Yuuri, he didn't move. Because he'd been watching intently as Yuuri pull himself onto Ao's back, their eyes met the moment Yuuri was sitting up straight.

Yuuri looked over at the ball field and the pile of gloves again. It seemed that every day he was here, he learned a little bit more about Shin Makoku and its people. He looked back over at Wolfram, who looked windblown and yet somehow immaculate at the same time.

He leaned forward and scratched his horse between the ears. "And maybe myself, too, Ao," he murmured.

The ride back to the castle should have been one filled with accusations and insults, but it was companionably silent, and Yuuri found himself sneaking glances over at Wolfram. When he finally got caught, he grinned, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing when Wolfram lifted his chin haughtily in return. Wolfram was like no one else Yuuri had ever known on earth. Yuuri wasn't ready to go any further that that with his speculation right now, but it was still only midday. Tonight, who knew.

The next time Wolfram caught him staring, Yuuri's smile was a lot more thoughtful.


End file.
